Board Meeting Recap - March 6, 2023

Cincinnati Public Schools’ Board of Education met for a regularly scheduled business meeting on Monday, March 6, 2023. To start the meeting, the Board discussed progress on the current five board priorities: Progress Monitoring of Mid-Year, Strategic Plan, Updating Bylaws, Transportation, Board/Superintendent Relations. All items were noted to be on track, marked “green,” or in progress, marked “yellow.”

Next, Superintendent Wright provided her update in which she addressed the concerns of School Counselors and Social Workers regarding the Graduation Specialist and Attendance Specialist positions. She also celebrated the success of the Cincy-CPS Experience school tour, mixer and job fair, reporting that attendance to the job fair surpassed pre-pandemic attendance with 372 registered attendees, resulting in 32 day-of job offers, including 15 Intervention Specialist positions and 8 Paraprofessional positions.

During the Hearing of the Public, several individuals addressed additional concerns about reallocation of positions happening at some schools, concerns over newly created positions, the roles of preschool teachers in the district, Summer Scholars changes and Senate Bill 1.

Once everyone had a chance to speak, the Board moved on to approving the minutes from the February 27 business meeting and the February 27 special meeting. The Board then heard a recap of the Ad Hoc Attendance Boundaries Committee meeting, Policy and Equity Committee and Budget Finance and Growth Committee.

Next, the Board moved to discuss the Strategic Plan in which Board Member Moffett asked for clarification about the role of Alma Advisory group. Board Member Bolton explained that Alma will run the research and community engagement but Board Members are welcome to attend as observers. The process will be further discussed with Alma.

The Board then moved on to passing three resolutions: 1) Approving students eligible for subsidy for the 2022-23 school year, Reimbursement in Lieu of Transportation; 2) Adopting a new board policy: School Behavior Threat Assessment and 3) Authorizing the Filings of Original Board of Revision Complaint. During the discussion, Board Member Moroski explained the purpose of the Threat Assessment policy, Board Member Bolton applauded Moroski for his diligence to ensure CPS is taking the right direction for students and General Counsel Daniel Hoying provided context of HB 126 for the resolution authorizing the Filings of an Original Board of Revision Complaint. All three resolutions passed unanimously.

The Board then recognized 1 retiree, passed the Treasurer’s report and Superintendent’s Recommendations. Once the meeting turned to discussing Board Matters, a thorough discussion of the Budget timeline, ESSER and position changes took place, followed by discussion of the Committee of the Whole. To close out the meeting, Vice President Brandon Craig announced he accepted a nomination for the Council of Great City Schools Executive Board; Board Member Bolton asked Superintendent Wright and Board President Lindy to design and outline the role of the Board in budget development during the entire budget cycle; Board Member Jones gave kudos to Withrow students that were also part of Xavier’s honor band; Board Member Wineberg gave kudos to Hughes High School’s Black History Event, in which a student did a report on Board Member Wineberg, Grad Cincinnati’s Donuts and Dollars for Grad Scholars event in which two students, one from Riverview East and one from Oyler, received scholarships and awards, and to Forever Kings at Walnut Hills High School.

For more information or to watch the recordings of the Board Meetings, visit www.cps-k12.org/Board 

The next Board Meeting will be held Monday, March 20, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. at the Education Center. Live stream details are available on the CPS calendar at https://www.cps-k12.org/Page/2#calendar1/20230310/event/1872 

Watch the Board Meeting Here: